Birthright Israel Foundation Blog

As Birthright Israel entered its 20th anniversary year no one could have imagined a global pandemic would change the course of the program for the year. Young Jewish adults worldwide were disappointed as their trips were postponed and communities everywhere went into lockdown. Take future participant, Isabelle Wigon of Boston, MA who wasn’t surprised to learn her June Birthright Israel… Read More 

Birthright Israel participants are typically pretty clueless about life in Israel before their trip. They return from the Middle East with a visceral connection to the Jewish State and these 15 lessons on life in Israel. Life in Israel is modern ... When alumnus Nathan Lightman claimed his birthright, he was surprised to find that the streets of Tel Aviv… Read More 

In 2004, a Birthright Israel trip inspired Marina Yudborovsky to reconnect with her Jewish identity, something it has done for 800,000+ young Jews worldwide. Marina, a Soviet Jewish émigré to the US, was then motivated to join the Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG) in 2009 to help in its mission to strengthen the Jewish identity of Russian-speaking Jews around the world.… Read More 

When I started as a freshman in 2017 at Michigan State University, I had no idea how big of an impact my Jewish identity would have on my experience. During my sophomore year, I signed up for a May Birthright Israel trip through the MSU Hillel. I had never been to Israel before, and I was eager but nervous. I had… Read More 

Like so many young Jewish adults, I was raised in a mixed-faith family. With my mother identifying as Presbyterian and my father identifying as Jewish, it was up to them to decide how both my brother and I would be raised. Judaism is hugely important to my father’s side of the family and my parents decided that the best way… Read More 

Birthright Israel Foundation has helped more than 800,000 Jewish young adults claim their birthright. From Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, and many destinations in between, those who sign up for this free trip are wholly immersed in Israeli life, values, culture, history, and heritage. While there is much to do and see in Israel, one of the biggest eye-openers for participants… Read More 

Julie and Asher’s love story began in Israel in 2015 on a Birthright Israel trip when a nice American girl met a nice Israeli boy. After the trip, Julie returned to New Jersey and Asher moved to Munich, Germany but the distance couldn’t keep them apart. Asher soon caught a flight to New Jersey to celebrate Thanksgiving and to hang out with… Read More 

When you grow up in an observant family or community, Birthright Israel is something that’s on everyone's radar. So naturally, when I was an undergrad at the University of Michigan, I signed up for a Birthright Israel trip with the campus Hillel. The trip was really my first touchpoint to Israel and engagement in Jewish life as an adult.  When I first arrived in Israel with my Birthright Israel group, I knew there was more I… Read More 

The Birthright Israel experience equally benefits young Jewish adults from the Diaspora and Israeli participants, known as Mifgashim. For many young Israelis, Birthright Israel provides an opportunity to understand Jewish life outside of Israel. More so, the 10-day experience allows them to see their country through someone else's eyes, which furthers their appreciation for their home. To date, more than 115,000 Israelis have participated… Read More 

If it wasn't for Birthright Israel, I don't know if I'd still be Jewish ten years down the road. After being Bar Mitzvah'd, there was little that still linked me to Judaism besides food. For instance, eating latkes every April, fasting on Yom Kippur, and suffering through Shabbat services on the rare Friday night, I visited my grandparents and great-grandma… Read More 

We often kvell about the impact of Birthright Israel on Diaspora participants like you, but did you know that you’re not the only ones who benefit from this transformational journey? Over the past two decades, we’ve also given 115,000 Israelis the opportunity to claim their birthright. The participants, known as Mifgash (Hebrew for encounter), are mostly young soldiers in the… Read More